


Octopus’s Garden

by orphan_account



Category: The Beatles
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Octopus Garden AU, Pirate AU, mermaid au, possible ot4?¿
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-10-25 04:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17717951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Paul and Ringo are SirensJohn and George are piratesThey meet and chaos may ensueInspired by cirilee’s octopus garden au on Instagram and Tumblr!!!!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Before reading this go check out cirilee on Tumblr! Her amazing work is the inspiration for this so all credit for ideas go to her!!

The hot summer sun was beating down on the docks, with every sailor and pirate seeming to sweat through their clothes. They couldn’t complain; many of them were waiting around for a job to come their way. Two pirates in particular didn’t seem to be bothered. The two men were seated at the end of the dock, with their toes gracing against the water’s surface. 

One of them was strumming a guitar softly, with sweat dripping from the head band strapped across his forehead. The other pirate was humming softly. The mans earring was shining in the sun and his long braid was slightly wet with sweat. 

Meanwhile, just below the surface, two bright creatures were lurking under the docks. The man with the vibrant tail poked his head out of the water, only inches away from the dangling feet. He moves a little closer when a hand grasps his arm. 

“Wait,” a small voice said, the sensation of tiny suction cups, kissing the sirens arms, “they might be dangerous.” The orange tentacles wrapped around the other mans tail, seeming to tremble in fear. 

“Ringo, it’s okay, I just want to get a closer look yeah?” Paul replies reassuringly. He knew Ringo was always wary towards anyone he didn’t know. Paul always calmed him down when he needed it, so he quickly kissed Ringo’s head in reassurance. Paul moves closer to the humming, tail flicking with excitement. He was always curious towards pirates and sailors, their strange legs and weird language. Whenever a land walker came near, he was gravitated towards them, despite how dangerous it may be. 

Ringo sits back in defeat with worry and a quiet “Be careful.” Just as Paul was about to (stupidly) touch one of their legs, the legs quickly retracted from the water, and thuds of feet were pounding against the dock. 

“C’mon George, Yoko is gonna be back any minute!” John shouts running towards the area where a boat would dock any minute. George was running behind, struggling to put on his shoes as he ran. Soon a large boat appeared and the two pirates grabbed the ropes that were thrown at them. They tied them to the poles and got ready to unload the massive amount of crates filled to the brim with spices, fabrics, and gold. 

The two sirens perked up as they heard the boat floating through the water. Instead of hiding like they usually do, Paul peered over the dock seeing the two pirates he was observing before. 

“Paul, we should really get down” Ringo murmurs, trying not to be seen. His ears twitched as Paul rested his arms against the wooden planks. 

“I’m okay Rings, but just look at them, they’re beautiful” Paul mused and rested his head in his hand. 

Ringo frowned slightly and peered up, with his small fingers grasping the edge of the dock. His eyes scanned around until he finally spotted the two pirates tying the boat to the dock. His eyes widened and his tentacles squirmed around. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen two people so beautiful, besides Paul of course. The two pirates were now carrying boxes off the boat, yelling something that the sirens couldn’t quite understand. 

“Wow” Ringo mumbles, “do you think they’re good or bad?” He seemed to always ask this question about new people. He was even unsure about Paul at first; he nearly screamed and fled when Paul first came to his garden. 

“I’m not sure yet...”

As the sirens looked on, John and George were just finishing unloading the ship. “Thank you, boys” the captain, Yoko Ono said, setting down the last box. Yoko Ono was one of the best captains around. Yoko was also one of the few captains out there that advocated for merpeople. She sailed around the world trying to change the stigma against merpeople. She changed some minds, but with the help of people like George and John, she could help even more.  
She had brought George and John into her crew when they were both young, and for the first few years, they traveled everywhere with her. The two men were only in their early twenties now, but they had seen more of the world than anyone they knew. They hadn’t traveled as much now; there was just something about this dock in this village that the two young pirates loved. They stilled sailed with Yoko, but it was just not as often anymore. They spent most of their days trading in the village, unloading ships, and raiding nearby islands for food. The two pirates were admittedly not rich by any means, but they got by with trading, and sleeping in abandoned ships if they could find them. 

George and John tipped their hats off to their captain and resumed their positions on the docks. The sirens had quickly dived back underneath the docks, but they weren’t as frightened as before. They could both hear the pirates talking above them, in some foreign tongue to them. 

“I thought I was hot before we unloaded those bloody boxes-I’m sweating like a pig” George said, taking off his shirt. 

“If you sweat like a pig and smell like a pig, doesn’t that mean you are one?” John teased, slightly shoving the boy beside him. 

“Aye sod off will ya?” George huffs in annoyance. He loved John, but sure was a pain in the ass. 

“Make me” 

The sirens below were startled by a loud splashing sound, turning around just in time to see one of the pirates colliding with the water. The pirate above them laughed loudly, clutching his stomach. The two creatures didn’t have much time to marvel at the beautiful laugh that flowed through their ears because the pirate in the water with them was swimming towards the surface. Paul and Ringo were frozen in fear as he surfaced, and looked directly at them. The pirates eyes widened as he spotted the two mysterious creatures. He had never seen two sirens this closely before. He was about to shout something up to George when the two creatures dived under the water, leaving John alone in utter shock.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and George become more intrigued by the sirens they’ve learned so much about

John could see the fins and tentacles of the creatures  after they scurried underwater. His shock wore off after a few moments and he splashed George's feet to get him to stop laughing. 

"Shut it will you? I think I just saw two sirens" John shouts. George stops laughing quite quickly and huffs in frustration.

"Really?! The one fucking time I get you back and you get to see fucking sirens?!" He slumps against one of the poles on the dock as John pulls himself out of the water. 

"Yeah, yeah Harrison your life sucks" John counters, shaking his head and spraying water everywhere. 

"What did they look like?" George asks, completely ignoring John’s statement. John seemed to perk up and he unknowingly smiled as he described them. 

“Well I only saw them for a few seconds, but one of them had a blue tail and the other had orange tentacles. They both had mustaches and the one with orange tentacles had long hair. I wish they didn’t swim away so quickly- I think they were afraid of me” John rambled on as George looked at him, eyes beaming. He was already planning ways to see those sirens. 

While the two pirates were gushing about the creatures, Paul and Ringo were slightly uneasy in the waters below. Ringo was swimming nervously around his garden while Paul sat attempting to calm himself so he could help Ringo. Paul was anxious, and guilty. He felt responsible for making Ringo worried and he cursed himself for potentially putting him in danger. Paul himself wasn’t doing much better, so he was physically unable to help Ringo settle with his signing. 

“What are we gonna do when the come after us?” Ringo asks with fidgeting fingers. With every word, his tentacles curled inwards more and his ears dropped. For Ringo there were no ‘ifs’ when it came to dangerous situations; he always expected the worse. 

“I won’t let them come after us, we’ll be okay” Paul responds. He wasn’t confident in his answer, however, he was probably just as worried as Ringo, but he didn’t want to worry the small lad even more. 

Even though he couldn’t calm him with his singing, Paul could give him physical comfort. So, he gently wrapped his arms around Ringo’s waist, pausing his frantic pacing. 

“Just relax okay? We don’t know if they’re bad or not... they seemed nice y’know?” Paul mumbled, trailing his fingers up and down Ringo’s back. 

The boy in his arms relaxed slightly, with his tentacles uncurling slowly bit by bit. The two sirens curled in towards each other, with both of them questioning if and when they’d be hunted after, again. 

Meanwhile, John and George were in the nearby village. They were walking past booths of filled food and various items, but their minds were preoccupied with the two creatures they so desperately wanted to meet. John was staring at the ground when he stopped a picked up a shiny rock, examining it between his fingers. He then grabs a feather out of his hat and ties it together with string. 

“What’s that for?” George asks, staring strangely at the items in John’s hand. 

“A peace offering, those sirens are probably terrified of us; why not just send them a little gift, to show we mean no harm?” John says, sauntering off towards the docks. 

“How do you know they’ll even be there? They’ll probably be lurking around later tonight. Besides, we have stuff to do” George says, turning John towards the boxes of stuff Yoko wanted them to trade. 

John groaned and put the small gift in his shirt pocket. “You’re no fun” he huffed. 

“I’m just making sure we don’t get our asses kicked” George reasoned, wrapping an arm around John’s shoulder. John smiled in return and wrapped an arm around George’s waist. 

“I guess we better get started then hm?” 

The two lads walked back towards the market place, slightly giddy for later. 

Ringo and Paul were tending to their garden when their over-sensitive ears tuned into the sound of humming from the dock. 

“I think they’re back” Ringo mumbled, looking up towards the dock. Paul, sensing Ringo’s uneasiness, swam over and kissed Ringo’s temple. 

“I’ll check it out and make sure it’s safe” he mumbled softly, starting to swim toward the sound. 

“No- I’m coming with you” Ringo insisted, grasping Paul’s hand tightly. Ringo was the more anxious one, but he wouldn’t let Paul venture out on his own. 

Paul squeezed his hand, smiling at the feeling of the tiny suction cups holding his hand in place. He kisses Ringo’s knuckles and they two sirens swam towards the edge of the dock. The were near the surface, the setting sun allowing them to be covered by the darkening water. Soon their ears were filled with the familiar sounds of a guitar and singing? They think it’s singing, but it was so different than what they were used to hearing so they couldn’t be sure. While the sirens were glancing upwards, the guitar stopped and one of the men were talking normally, although it sounded like absolute gibberish to them. 

“To the two sirens I saw today: I don’t mean any harm, I didn’t mean to frighten ya. George and I here don’t wanna hurt ya, we’re sorry if you got scared” John said, gently setting his present in the water, watching it sink below the surface. George smiled and strummed his guitar again, glancing towards the water. He genuinely hoped they liked it, or they were at least no longer threatened by them. 

The sirens were surprised to see something sinking down towards them, and both jumped back as the thing came near them. Paul gently grabbed whatever it was and ran his fingers over the sparkling pebble. 

“What is it?” Ringo asks, glancing at the item over Paul’s shoulder. 

“They dropped a rock and something else” he said, running his fingers over what looked to be a soft, white, fin-like stick . “I think it’s supposed to be a good thing. I think they mean well”

“Humans show kindness in such strange ways” Ringo comments, running his own fingers down the vane of the feather, “where do they get things like this?” 

“I think it grows from those things that they put on their heads” Paul says, twisting the thing around. While Paul continues to admire it, Ringo spots two abandoned shells on the ocean floor. He grabs them and holds one out for Paul. 

“We should give them something back” he states, smiling sheepishly. Paul takes the shell and moves to the side of the dock, rising just above the surface with Ringo beside him. The two pirates were staring at the water, unaware of the creatures next to them. The sirens quickly set their shells next to the man with the weird metal spiky thing in his ear, before diving back again below the sea. 

Small, splashing sounds pull George away from the water. He looks past John’s shoulder, just in time to see the tip of a blue tail being submerged underwater His eyes widen and he looks at John’s side. He hits John’s chest to get his attention and turns towards the splashing.  
“Look” he says, grabbing one of the shells. 

John looks beside him and sees the remaining shell, gently picking it up, inspecting it closely. They both smile widely, staring back out into the vast ocean. 

They thank the sirens, not caring if they were speaking out into an empty ocean. 

Paul and Ringo look up from the edge of the dock, holding hands, not wanting to move away from the strange, yet admittedly beautiful pirates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s Chapter 2! I loved hearing your feedback, and I simply couldn’t wait to write more! 
> 
> Let me know if you have any ideas for the story!
> 
> And as always: leave any critics/suggestions you have! :-)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bois finally meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapters in two days I think this is the most motivated I’ve been about anything lmao

Over the next few days, George and John would end their days near the dock. Everyday, before they sat down, two shells would be waiting for them at the end of the pier. It warmed the pirates' hearts immensely, and they would be lying if they said it wasn't the favorite part of their day. On the third day of, this little game, George suggested getting there early to see if they could catch even a glimpse of the sirens. 

Throughout the day, George and John worked tirelessly to get their jobs finished quickly. When John finally loaded the last crate onto a ship, George grabbed his hand and they raced towards the dock. The sun was just beginning to set when the two men reached the familiar dock. They sat down and waited patiently. John was till holding on to George's  hands, gently running his thumbs over the rough skin. It was only a few minutes before a soft splashing could be heard. 

Suddenly two sets of hands reached up to set down the shells. Finally, the two faces of the alluring sirens appeared and their eyes widened in shock seeing two sets of eyes staring back at them. 

The two pairs of men stared at each other, for what could've been hours before any of them moved. George was the first one to move, gently letting his feet dangle in the water, and he handed the feather from his own hat towards the creatures. The orange octopus tentatively reached towards it. George chuckles as the tiny suction cups tickle his hand. 

Ringo examines the item in his hand, smiling widely has he touches the soft feather.  
"Thank you" he says softly. John and George glance at each other with brows furrowed in confusion. They couldn't understand what the siren had just said. 

"What did you say?" John asked gently, trying not to spook the boy. 

Now it was the sirens turn to look confused. They saw the pirate's mouth move, but what he said they couldn't tell. 

George frowns in realization. He knew some merpeople could speak human languages, but most couldn't, and unfortunately, the two charming sirens in front of them couldn't communicate like they did. 

"John, they don't understand us" George says, frowning slightly. He finally got to meet these sirens and he couldn't talk to them? 

John noticed George's sadness and he squeezed his hands. He suddenly stands up, running towards his bag he tossed aside earlier. He snatches his sketchbook and a pencil before running back. He sat back down, facing George. He quickly sketches a portrait of George, before drawing a rough sketch of himself. He admittedly had a hard time not finishing the drawing of George; John had always loved drawing George whenever he could. He writes both of their names above their heads on the drawing before holding it out towards the sirens. The two sirens gently held the book as they stared at the drawing. The smiled widely glancing back up at the pirates. 

John smiles then points to himself pronouncing his name slowly and George does the same thing. 

"I think they just said their names" Paul mumbled softly. Ringo nods and places the notebook next to John, saying his name while he does so. His arm brushes against John and John's heart may have stopped for a few moments as he looked at the small siren. The siren was blushing furiously, with his tentacles wiggling in happiness; he latched on to Paul, mumbling incoherent, yet excited phrases. When Ringo got overly excited, he spoke quickly, barely bothering to take breaths in between his sentences. Paul held onto him, and said his name to the pirates while Ringo's tentacles wrapped around his tail. 

John smiled at the sight and he laid his head on George's shoulder. "You should play something Geo" he whispered softly, not wanting to disturb the moment. George gently picks his guitar, beginning to strum a soft tune. 

The sirens instantly turn their eyes towards the sound. They instantly started humming and Ringo's ears twitched happily. They weren't trying to lure the pirates in, they just simply wanted to sing along. 

The ensemble continued for a few minutes and by the end of the tune, both Paul and Ringo were right next to the pirates, resting their arms against the dock. John was furiously sketching, attempting to capture the essence of the two creatures in front of him. 

This continued for what seemed like hours, the four of them living in complete bliss for what seemed to be the first time in their lives. 

This pure moment was ruined with a harsh shout coming from behind the pirates. 

"John! George!" The voice shouted. The four boys immediately stopped what they were doing. The sirens rushed underneath the dock. They weren't quite fast enough, because the interruptive sailor saw the end of an orange tentacle as he approached the two seated pirates. 

"Oi! You two getting swooned by sirens?" The man said. 

"No, Pete we were just relaxing for once, it was nice not hearing your voice" John stated, shutting his sketchbook quietly. The two pirates knew what Pete Best would do to the poor creatures. Pete Best was known for outwardly hating merpeople. He also outwardly hated Yoko's crew. He hated that their crew helped merpeople. The unfortunate thing is, many people agreed with him. 

The two sirens listened on uncomfortably, sensing the tension in the conversation above them. The two pirates seemed hostile towards the other. 

"Are they gonna get hurt?" Ringo asked softly, whispering into Paul's ear, with a wavering voice. His fingers were clutching the feather George had given him earlier. 

Paul shook his head gently, running his hand up and down Ringo's arm. The argument above them gets more abrasive, and Paul is becoming more concerned the more he hears. Just as he is about to come out from under the dock and help, two sets of footsteps walks away. He hears John and George’s hushed, annoyed voices fade away with the footsteps. John and George themselves didn’t want leave the two sirens behind, but they didn’t want to put them in danger with Pete around. 

Paul frowns as he hears the angry sailor above them. The both knew they shouldn’t risk returning to their garden until he was gone. The sailor signaled his departure with a cigarette stub thrown in the water and the splash of a glass beer bottle. The two boys frowned, they knew they could expect several fishing boats out on the waters tomorrow, and they’d somehow have to avoid all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow look at me actually adding angst into my stories for once
> 
> Sorry if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes! 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst angst angst ANGST

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is high key emotional, but I will make up for it by making the next chapter super happy.

Just as expected, the sea was swarming with fishing boats the next morning. News of the sirens spread throughout the village and many were waiting around to catch them. Paul and Ringo spent most of the morning hiding in their garden. This hadn't been the first time something like this, so they knew which areas to avoid. 

Meanwhile, John and George were slightly freaking out. They had no way of knowing if the sirens were okay. Who knows when they would be able to see the small creatures again. The pirates occupied their minds by cleaning the entirety of Yoko’s ship; at least then they were somewhat near the sirens without putting them in danger. Without realizing, they would often stare out at the boats on the water, making sure they hadn’t caught anything. 

The two sirens were content underneath the ocean waves. They were still slightly worried, of course, but they had grown accustom to the constant stress of being caught. They had heard countless stories of sirens being caught and tortured or killed. The first time they were almost caught they didn’t leave their garden for days. They had only left when they needed food, desperately. They now had a system, if there were too many boats out, they would wait out in a nearby cave to be sure they wouldn’t be seen. They would camp there for a few days, and then they would return to their home when it was safe. As of right now, Paul was gathering food for their stay while Ringo was gathering up a few prized possessions. He made sure to grab the presents the pirates had given them. When they were ready, the two creatures started the short journey to their safe haven. They held hands as they swam, just to know that the other was safe. They were usually on high alert, but today their minds were distracted with the two pirates on land. Would they understand why they couldn’t go to the surface? Hopefully they would. 

They were about a quarter of a kilometer away from their cave when they heard it: the soft hum of a boat. Paul and Ringo instantly swam faster, both terrified beyond belief, but it was too late. The net had encircled the trembling sirens, and was now fastening closed above their heads. The two started clawing at the net, desperate for a way out. The attempt was useless, and now rib-shattering panic set in. The net became smaller and smaller until it was taught and imbedded against their skin. The sirens clung to each other, preparing for the worst. As their bodies emerged from the water, they curled closer together, trying to conserve the water dripping away from their bodies. They were slammed against the cold floor of the boat, leaving both of them gasping for air. Two sets of hands were pulling at their skin, tales, and fins. The two flinched in response as they struggled against the net. 

“What are we gonna do?” Ringo whimpers quietly, his body tremors in absolute fear. His only hope right now was that he wouldn’t have to see Paul die in front of his eyes. 

“I don’t know, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” Paul chokes out. He was on the verge of deterioration, his mind breaking down in despair and sorrow. He was grieving for Ringo more than he was himself. He couldn’t care less about himself. He was broken that Ringo was unsafe and he absolutely hated the fact that his last moments spent on this earth would be letting Ringo down. 

While their bodies are being prodded and poked at for what seemed like hours, they were traveling towards the pier, right near the fish market place. The two sirens were thrown off the boat, and on to the dock. They both gasped as their bodies collided with the hard wood. Ringo groaned and Paul gasped. Ringo looked at him with agony. Sirens and merpeople could stay out of water for a period of time before they would pass out from intense dryness. Ringo, only had slight trouble breathing; he could continue breathing out of water for at least another hour, whereas Paul was barely taking anything through his gills. Paul, unfortunately suffered terribly being out of water for more than a short period of time. Ringo knew that if they weren’t in water within fifteen minutes, Paul would probably cease to breath at all. This made Ringo hysterical, and he kept shaking Paul to keep him awake. His gills were fluttering and expanding less and less, and Paul was struggling with every intake of oxygen. 

The hands of the two female sailors returned, one of them clutching a knife in their hands. The two sirens soon found out what it was meant for. Paul screamed out in pain as the knife sliced through his tail fin. It was legend that if you took a piece of a siren’s tail, you would receive good luck and fortune. Paul’s wretched screaming continued even after the piece of his tail was taken. 

 

John and George were sitting on Yoko’s boat, scrubbing the floors when they heard a heart wrenching shriek pierce through the air. Their eyes widened and they both sprinted towards the sound. They reached the dock near the end of the pier to see a lump on the dock moving and shaking. Their eyes soon laid upon two of Pete Best’s sailors, jabbing at the two beautiful sirens. 

“Get off of them!” John screamed as he ran towards them, taking his knife out of his pocket. The two sailors looked up in fear, slowly backing away from the furious pirate. George knelt down, trying to untie the net. 

John was still staring down the sailors, gripping the knife in his hands. The two sailors, take off, hopping aboard their body, getting ready to take off. John prepares to run after them until George calls his name, beckoning him back to the creatures. He turns his attention away from the violent, girls to see the two creatures. They were both gasping for air, and the merman was whimpering in pain. He ran towards them, quickly cutting the net open. 

Ringo took Paul into his arms, and squirmed towards the water. He was so focused on Paul he didn’t notice the pirates helping him off the dock and into the water. He holds Paul’s face, stroking his cheeks to keep him conscious. He was still trembling, but he frankly didn’t care. 

The two pirates looked on, and glanced at each other before jumping into the water to help the octopus. They helped him hold up the boy’s body. All three men were distraught for the gasping siren. Paul’s eyes were half closed, and he was only taking in half breaths. It was a good five minutes before he breathing normally and another ten before he came back to full consciousness. When he realized where he was, he looked around frantically, before spotting Ringo and latching on to him. Ringo could hear soft sobs, and whispers of “I’m sorry” as he held on to Paul. 

John and George were looking on, and they eventually wrapped their arms gently around the sirens, not daring to say anything. They were sorrowed by the imprints left on the sirens’ skin from the net. The sirens tensed up as the arms embraced them, but they both relaxed realizing who it was. The four remained there, wading in the water, listening to Paul’s ragged breathing. They were all terrified of what just happened, and they all just needed the comfort of someone they could trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, a more depressing version of the net story. I hope that you continue reading! I promise it won’t be this sad all the time 
> 
> Let me know if you have any ideas!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the net story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of John and George’s crew mates will make an appearance! Comment any of your OCs you want me to include!

After embracing each other for several moments, Paul was finally breathing normally, but he refused to unlatch himself from Ringo. He felt if he let go of Ringo, he’d be alone again. Ringo felt the same way, with his suction cup covered hands gently running down Paul's back. The feeling was extremely comforting for Paul and he relaxed more as time wore on. 

"I thought I was gonna lose you" Paul finally whispered, running his fingers through Ringo's hair. 

Ringo gently kisses Paul's forehead "I know Paulie, but we're okay, we're safe" he said softly. 

John and George looked on, both still slightly cautious about upsetting the scared creatures. John quickly moved some hair out of Ringo's face, being extremely gentle and careful. Ringo seemed to lean in to the touch, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

Everything  was quiet for a few moments, the slow breath of ocean waves bobbing the group of boys. For Paul however, the rolling waves made him tense up and hyper aware of everything invading the space his fin used to occupy. 

"How much is missing?" he asked vacantly. He asked the question as if he was asking about the weather and not about a traumatizing injury. It truthfully scared Ringo how calm Paul was about the situation. 

"Almost all of the left side is gone darling" Ringo stated, trying to stay calm himself. Paul nodded emptily, focusing his attention on some distant point on the horizon in front of him. Ringo was still holding up Paul, afraid that his missing fin would inhibit his swimming. This made the pirates take notice of the sirens tale. 

"Fuck John, look at his tail, I think they cut it off" George looks at the sirens, staring in horror; he didn't understand how anyone could do anything so cruel. John follows his gaze and sees the sheered, jagged edges of the fin. His blood boils over and he clenches his teeth. George knows that look, and tries to grab John's shoulder. Before he can, John is out of the water, storming towards the village. George looked back at the two sirens, who were looking sadly after John. George gently squeezes Paul's shoulder follows John. Someone needed to make sure John wouldn't get into more trouble. He knew that the two sirens would be safe so he decided to make sure John wouldn't be burned at the stake. He ran after John, water dripping off his clothing. By the time he found John, the other pirate was face to face with Pete Best. 

"If you or more of your fucking sailors or anyone else ever fucking comes near any siren ever again, I will make sure you never set foot on another boat" John seethes, staring the man down. Pete seemed unbothered, but the sweat on the back of his neck revealed his fear. 

Pete smirks, moving closer to John "what makes me think I'll listen to you." John's eyes turn dark, and he looked ready to kill someone. Before he could do anything, George grabs his hand and pulls him back. 

"John. Don't." He says quietly. He grips John's arm as Pete laughs. 

"Listen to Georgie, Lennon" Pete says, chuckling as George leads John away. 

John rips his arm away from George, swinging the arm wildly towards Pete. He smiles hearing the satisfying crack of a nose. "Piece of shit" he mumbles, not glancing back as George drags him away. 

Once they reach Yoko's boat, George grips John's face, a stern look gracing his features. "Why would you do that? You're an idiot, you’ll just make him more mad!"

John grabs hold of George's wrists, smiling smugly. "It's what he deserves"

"I know that you git, but Jesus you don't need to be putting yourself in danger like that" George chides, "it's like you're trying to get yourself killed!"

John squeezes George's wrists with a soft smile, "I can take care of myself you know" 

George sighs and kisses John's forehead "yeah, yeah I know, but you're an idiot about it sometimes. Just relax, I know you feel the need to protect those sirens the same way I do, but you can't do that by beating up every asshole we come across"  

John smiles and grabs George's hand, dragging him on to their ship, "okay Georgie, now c'mon, you need to help me take care of me knuckles."

The two sirens had returned to their garden, wanting to be relax after and absolutely awful day. It had taken them longer to return, Paul's missing tail made it difficult for him to swim at full speed. When they got back, Paul was more quiet than usual, laying amongst the sea bed and staring at random specks in the sea. Ringo sat with his his fingers running through Paul's hair. 

"I'm really sorry" Paul mumbles, picking at his fingers "I should've checked to see if it was safe."

Ringo frowned, his hands stilling in Paul's hair. "Why are you sorry? It's not your fault those horrible people did this to you."

Paul sat up and rubbed his face with frustration. “Fuck, I’m sorry”

“It’s okay darling, let’s just think about something else for a while okay?” Ringo knew Paul would continue to beat himself up for this, but he just wanted to distract him for a while. 

Paul nodded and laid his head against Ringo’s shoulder, “where do you think they went?” He wondered aloud what happened to the pirates. 

“I dunno, they seemed angry at someone, but not us” Ringo replied. 

Paul nodded and wrapped his arms around Ringo’s waist. “I really like them” Paul said, his nose gracing Ringo’s neck. The two sirens end up laying there for hours, not even speaking, just wanting to enjoy the moment while it lasted. 

The two pirates were back on Yoko’s boat, and John finally had his bruised knuckles bandaged. The day had been exhausting and even though they didn’t want to lose sight of them, the pirates understood that the sirens probably wanted to just lay low for a while.   
John was doodling something in his book while George was laying flat against the deck, with the sun shining in his eyes. 

They only looked up when one of their ship mates stood in front of them.   
“Okay boys, who are the lucky lads?” she spoke sitting next to them. 

“What are you on about?” John stares simply, not wanting to give anything away. 

“Oh c’mon John, the both of you are absolutely love struck! You keep staring off with love in your eyes” She yelled, gaining the attention of other crew members. Several of them surround the two pirates, pestering them to spill the beans. 

“Oi alright shurup will ya?” John huffed in defeat, “George and I met two sirens a couple days ago”

“Were those the sirens you saved earlier today?” One of the crewmen asked. All of them nudged and teased the two men. 

“They’re in love.”

“They’re whipped.”

“When’s the wedding?” 

“I want to meet them!” 

“Hey! We don’t even know if they like us that way. Calm down” George said, getting flustered at all of the attention. Relationships between merpeople and humans weren’t a new concept, but it was uncommon. Many relationships were scrutinized because many humans believed that the sirens were using the pirates and manipulating them. Overall, Yoko’s crew was very accepting and encouraging of this idea. 

“Well you better start figuring that out! You should read up on siren courting. Cap’n should have a book on that”

John and George looked at each other with confused looks. “How does that start?” 

Suddenly, Captain Yoko appeared with a smile on her lips. “Well usually you have to give them gifts, it can be anything really. If the sirens give you a gift back, especially multiple gifts, it means they are interested” 

John and George gaped with open mouths and wide eyes. “We might have already given and received gifts from them” George said sheepishly. 

The crew members responded with a mixture of whoops, screams, and laughs. 

“Looks like they’re already dating!” 

John and George sat in embarrassment, but also excitement. They didn’t realize the sirens were actually interested in them. 

Yoko looked at them with a comforting smile “don’t worry, your secret is safe with us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kinda terrible, I’m sorry! I’ve just been stressed with school but I’ll try to work to get more chapters out!
> 
> Let me know if you have any ideas (although I do have the ending pretty much planned out :> )


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some cute fluff, really just a filler chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really terrible, but I’m uploading cause I feel bad

It had been around a week since the incident when the sirens and pirates met again. That didn't stop George and John from sitting on the docks every night just sitting, waiting for the sirens just in case they showed up. As for right now, John and George were sitting on the rocky shore placed near the docks. John was tuning George's guitar and George was laying down, his hat lazily covering his face as he tried to nap. John's legs were dangling in the water. The serenity of the moment was interrupted by a ferocious splash hitting his torso. He looks up to see the sirens smiling sheepishly back at him. He turns to George, hitting his leg, before turning fully back towards the sirens. The siren with the blue tail started croaking out incoherent phrases. John leaned forward on his knees, smiling at the creatures. 

Paul was truthfully in a better mood after relaxing after the incident. He tried not to think about his tail, but it was difficult as he was still much slower with swimming. He shook his head lightly to rid his thoughts and looked up at the second pirate, who had sat up with tired eyes and a hint of a smile. 

George smiles at the sirens and rubs the sleep out of his eyes.  He looks at the siren with the blue tail and points at it "Is your tail okay?" 

Paul saw the pirate pointing at his tail with a very concerned face. He assumed that the pirate was asking about his tail. So, Paul nodded, hoping that he was answering the right thing. The pirate nodded in response seemingly happy with the siren's answer. He blushed slightly and glanced over at the guitar laying next to the boys. 

John notices and grabs it, pointing at the siren as if saying 'do you play?' Paul nods again. When he was with his tribe, he had received an old guitar found in a sunken ship. He listened to sailors constantly, trying to learn how to play. He eventually learned a few chords, and could manage to make his own tunes. He had lost it when he abandoned his tribe, and he had always been secretly hopeful to play again. 

John smiles, handing his guitar to the siren, "play something." The siren looks up and grins, plucking a few strings before strumming a familiar tune. Ringo looks over and perks up. He hadn't heard Paul play in so long and he truly missed when the other boy would play songs for him. 

The three others listened as Paul's nimble fingers moved hesitantly across the guitar. Paul's playing wasn't perfect, but the three didn't mind one bit. The siren started humming as he played, a soft grin tugging at his lips. He then began bobbing his head slightly, with his hair flopping over his eyes. His fingers seemed to know the chords by heart, moving as if he'd been doing so for centuries. It's almost as if he had the song imbedded into his soul. For Ringo, he knew it was. 

He instantly recognized the tune Paul was playing: it was an old tune Paul's tribe played thousands of times. Despite leaving his tribe, Ringo could tell Paul still missed parts of it. Despite their crude and terrible distaste towards others which caused Paul to leave, Paul still longed to be in a community like that. Maybe he sought safety from a tribe; maybe he didn't want to feel so vulnerable and lonely. Him and Ringo by themselves couldn't take on the world, no matter how much Paul tried to convince himself they could. Paul wished he could hear the rumble of a boat and not instantly fear death or fear losing Ringo. 

By the time Paul finished the song the other three hadn't stopped staring, and hadn't started talking. The only thing that could be heard was the reminisce of the last chord and the soft lull of waves. George grinned wide, resting his chin in his hand.

Paul smiles sheepishly under all of the attention and gently set the instrument by the pirates' feet. "Sorry" he mumbles, shaking his head again. Ringo wraps an arm around his shoulder, quickly kissing his temple. 

John smiles at them and leans behind George to grab his sketchbook. George laughs "You're always drawing those two"

"Shut it" He mumbles, failing at hiding his smile as he grabs his lead.

Ringo looks at John’s sketchbook, tracing his finger over the marks on the page. He admires the quick sketches of tentacles and fins. He croaks happily, the sound emitted sounding like a mix between a frog’s ribbit and a cricket’s stridulation. 

John looks at him, smiling as Ringo continues to gaze at John’s drawings. John finds it absolutely adorable, like a kid looking at puppies. John points at one of the doodles, before pointing to Ringo.   
“That’s my drawing of you”

Ringo seems to somewhat understand what John’s saying, and he croaks again looking at John with a proud smile. 

As Ringo continued laughing, George notices a small mark above his gills. He reaches out, running his fingers over the mark with a questioning look. Paul smiles, proudly showing off the same mark on his own neck. 

George relaxes slightly, thinking that the sirens had been hurt. He smiles seeing Paul place a sloppy kiss on Ringo’s cheek. 

“So are they like hickeys?” John asks, laughing slightly. George hits his chest lightly. 

“Shhhh, I happen to think it’s adorable” 

As the two pirates quibble, Ringo and Paul look on, being very confused themselves. 

“Why are they laughing if they’re hitting each other?” Paul asks quietly. 

“I think they’re... oh what do you call it? Joking? Joking! They’re just pretending to fight” Ringo replies. 

Paul nods, mostly to himself, trying to remember that they were only pretending. 

Before any of the four men could say anything else, a shrill and loud voice interrupts them. 

“John! George! C’mon the we’re leaving soon!” 

The voice came from one of their crew members from their ship. Tonight Yoko was taking her entire crew to a nearby trading port. This was one of the biggest trips they had all year, and they’d be gone for about a week and hadn’t had the chance to tell Paul and Ringo yet. 

When the voice rang out, Paul and Ringo ducked under the water behind the rocks. George looked at his crew mate, telling the other man they’d be along soon. 

John smiled sadly, reaching out a hand to the two sirens “it’s okay. You’re safe”

Ringo peers out, seeing that it was still only George and John. 

George looks at them, smiling. George honestly seemed to be smiling a lot more around the sirens. John frowns and grabs his sketchbook, looking at them. He gestures their boat, looking at the sirens with sad eyes. He quickly sketches out what he though would be a good way to tell them that the pirates were leaving. The sketch was of a sailboat, traveling to some random scribble of land with names John and George written on it. 

Ringo looks at John’s drawing, beginning to frown himself. “I think they have to leave”

Paul looks up at them, worry written all over his face. He points at the pirates, before pointing at the vast ocean behind him. 

George responds with a nod, his head barely moving. 

Paul huffs, starting to become upset. Sirens became attached quickly and suddenly learning the pirates were leaving left him feeling empty. He thought the pirates were leaving them forever. 

Ringo, seeing Paul’s emotional state, looks at them with hopeful eyes. 

“We won’t be gone forever” George says, grabbing Ringo’s hand. He points out to the ocean before pointing to the spot he’s occupying “We’ll come back” 

Ringo’s eyes widen, and he points at John’s drawing, tracing a line from the island to the scratches resembling the dock. 

George nods again, squeezing the sirens hand. 

The siren begins to smile in realization “Paul! They aren’t leaving forever, only for a little bit!”

Paul looks up at the pirates, before reaching up and hugging John. John wraps his arms around the siren, surprised that the siren had grown this comfortable with him. He softly kisses the top of the sirens head, looking over at George and Ringo with a wide smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry for abandoning this work for literal months. I tried to write but I’ve been busy with school and way too many hospital visits. I’m sorry for not getting this updated. 
> 
> I hope you guys still find some joy in reading this. 
> 
> I’m sorry for disappointing you guys but I’ll hoepfully be updating more often

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you have critics/suggestions!


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